Follow-up of rheumatic carditis treated with steroids.

OBJECTIVE: To present the long-term follow-up of children hospitalised for severe rheumatic carditis who were treated with corticosteroids. METHODS: This is a retrospective analysis of the outcome of 242 patients with severe rheumatic carditis after discharge from two public hospitals in Niteroi, Brazil. We followed up 118 patients for 4 years or more, with an average of 7.7 years. They were treated with antibiotics to accomplish bacterial eradication and either intravenous methylprednisolone - 40 cases - or oral prednisone - 78 patients - to treat carditis. They were followed up in outpatient clinic. RESULTS: Cardiac failure was categorised as classes III and IV according to the New York Heart Association classification. In the intravenous corticosteroid group, 21 cases (52.5%) had isolated mitral valve regurgitation, 12 (30%) had mitral plus aortic involvement, and seven (17.5%) had aortic lesion only. In the oral prednisone group, 45 (58%) had mitral valve regurgitation only, 27 (34%) had mitral plus aortic involvement, and six (8%) had aortic lesion only. A total of 28 children were in their first disease attack, of whom 19 (68%) had a rupture of chordae tendineae. A total of 58 patients (49%) sustained recurrence of carditis because of neglected secondary prophylaxis. In all, 19 cases (16%) underwent cardiac surgery - valve replacement or valvuloplasty. In 33% of the cases, the outcome was favourable - asymptomatic at follow-up. The overall mortality rate was 6.8%. CONCLUSION: Many critically ill patients who complied with secondary prophylaxis were left with minor injuries, whereas those who neglected it or abandoned it had serious sequelae. The rate of abandonment and loss to follow-up was very high. Many cases (49%) were re-hospitalised because of carditis recurrence.

Comparison of mechanical and biological prostheses when used to replace heart valves in children and adolescents with rheumatic fever.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the outcomes in children and adolescents with rheumatic fever of the implantation of mechanical as opposed to biological heart valves. METHODS: We assessed 73 patients with rheumatic heart disease under the age of 18 years, who underwent replacement of heart valves between January, 1996, and December, 2005, at the National Institute of Cardiology in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Of the group, 71 patients survived, and were divided into a group of 52 receiving mechanical prostheses, and 19 with biological prostheses. We compared endpoints between the groups in terms of mortality, reoperation, haemorrhage, and stroke. Survival curves were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and were compared by the Mantel (log-rank) test. RESULTS: Overall mortality was 8.2%. In those receiving mechanical prostheses, 2 (3.8%) patients died, 5 (9.6%) underwent reoperation, 2 (3.8%) suffered severe haemorrhage, and 3 (5.8%) had strokes. In those receiving biological valves, 2 (10.5%) patients died, and 4 (21%) underwent reoperation. After 2, 4, and 8 years, overall survival was 96%, 93% and 86%, respectively, with a borderline difference between the groups (p = 0.06). The probabilities of remaining free from reoperation (p = 0.13), and from combined endpoints, showed no statistically significant difference between the groups (p = 0.28). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with mechanical prostheses had lower mortality and required fewer reoperations, but when all combined endpoints were considered, the groups did not differ. The biological prosthesis proved to be a good option for cardiac surgery in children and adolescents with difficulties or risks of anticoagulation.

Perfil sexual e frequência de infecções genitais em adolescentes atendidos em uma clínica universitária / Sexual profile and frequency of genital infections in teenagers treated in the university clinic

Introdução: atualmente os adolescentes se encontram em situação de vulnerabilidade para infecções genitais, devido às altas taxas de atividade sexual com diferentes parceiros e falhas no uso do preservativo. Objetivo: descrever o perfi l sexual e a frequência das infecções genitais diagnosticadas em adolescentes atendidos no Setor de DST da Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF) nos anos de 2005 e 2006. Métodos: foi realizado um estudo seccional, descritivo,observacional e quantitativo através da análise dos prontuários de adolescentes entre 12 e 19 anos de idade atendidos no Setor de DST/UFF no período de janeiro de 2005 a dezembro de 2006. Os dados foram tratados através de análise descritiva por meio de porcentagem. Resultados: a parcela de adolescentes que frequentou o serviço foi igual para ambos os sexos, porém a maioria acima dos 16 anos de idade, com parceiro(a) sexual fixo(a) exclusivo(a) em 57,2% dos casos no ano de 2005 e 57,63% para o ano de 2006, onde a maioria não utilizava preservativo e não apresentava história de prévia de DST em ambos os anos do estudo. Destes, 46,9% (2005) e 38,98% (2006) possuíam o ensino fundamental incompleto, e 50,3% (2005) e 55,93% (2006) eram estudantes. A iniciação sexual ocorreu em torno dos 13 anos de idade e o diagnóstico mais comum foi de infecção pelo vírus do papiloma humano (HPV) com a frequência de 46,8% em 2005 e 54,84% em 2006. Conclusão: os adolescentes constituem um grupo vulnerável em relação à sexualidade, assim, porvezes, não percebem o risco em adquirir infecções genitais, tais como as DST, portanto, não se protegem por meio do uso do preservativo. Esses resultados demonstraram elevada frequência de DST, principalmente no que diz respeito à infecção pelo HPV, indicando a necessidade de medidas de prevenção, programas de educativos que busquem a redução deste risco, além de um atendimento especializado realizado por profissionais habilitados a fi m de realizarum correto diagnóstico e, consequentemente, um tratamento das infecções genitais no acompanhamento do grupo em questão.

Introduction: now adays, young people are in vulnerable situation for genital infections, due to high rates of sexual activity with different partners andfailures in the use of condoms. Objectives: describe the sexual profile and frequency of genital infections diagnosed in adolescents seen in a DST Clinicof Federal Fluminense University (UFF) in the years 2005 and 2006. Methods: a cross-sectional study was conducted, descriptive, observational and quantitative through records analysis of adolescents between 12 and 19 years of age attended in DST/UFF Sector from January to December of the years 2005 and 2006. The data was processed through descriptive analysis by percentage. Results: the share of teenagers who attended the service was equalfor both sexes, but the majority over 16 years of age, with fi xed sexual partner only in 57.2% of cases in 2005 and 57.63% for the year 2006, in which the majority did not use condoms and had no history of the DST in both years of study. Of these 46.9% (2005) and 38.98% (2006) had incomplete primary school and 50.3% (2005) and 55.93% (2006) were students. The sexual initiation occurred around 13 years of age and genital infection by the human papilloma virus (HPV) was described as the most frequent in this group. Conclusion: teenagers are a vulnerable group in relation to sexuality, thus, theyare not aware of the risks of acquiring genital infections such as STDs, therefore they do not protect themselves through preservatives. These results showhighly frequent STD's, mostly the ones related to HPV, indicating the need for prevention measures, educational programs that aim at the reduction of thisrisk along with a specialized care by qualifi ed professionals in order to make a correct diagnosis and, as a result, a treatment for the genital infections inthe following up of the group.

[Pseudotumor cerebri secondary to dural sinus thrombosis: pediatric case report]. / Pseudotumor cerebral secundário a trombose venosa dural: relato de caso pediátrico.

Pseudotumor cerebri is a relatively common neurologic syndrome in adolescence. In most cases, etiology is idiopathic, but it may have serious complications, such as blindness, that are related to increased intracranial pressure. The aim of this article is to emphasize the differential diagnosis of pseudotumor cerebri, with special attention to treatable etiologies. We report a case of an 12 year-old adolescent who presented with diplopia and headache 9 days after right-sided otitis media and mastoiditis. Head computerized tomography was normal, but brain magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated thrombosis of ipsilateral transverse and sigmoid sinuses, which responded promptly to early anticoagulation. The conclusion is that magnetic resonance imaging is essential for patients with a clinical diagnosis of pseudotumor cerebri in order to exclude treatable causes, such as dural sinus thrombosis.

Pseudotumor cerebral secundário a trombose venosa dural: relato de caso pediátrico / Pseudotumor cerebri secondary to dural sinus thrombosis: pediatric case report

O pseudotumor cerebral é uma síndrome neurológica relativamente comum na adolescência. Na maioria dos casos, a etiologia é idiopática, mas pode haver complicações graves, como cegueira, relacionadas com a hipertensão intracraniana. O objetivo deste artigo é enfatizar o diagnóstico diferencial do pseudotumor cerebral, com atenção especial às etiologias tratáveis. Relatamos o caso de um adolescente de 12 anos que se apresentou com diplopia e cefaléia 9 dias após otite média e mastoidite à direita. A tomografia computadorizada do crânio foi normal, mas a ressonância magnética do encéfalo detectou trombose dos seios transverso e sigmóideo ipsilaterais, a qual respondeu à anticoagulação precoce. A conclusão é que a ressonância magnética do encéfalo é essencial nos pacientes com diagnóstico clínico de pseudotumor cerebral para exclusão de causas tratáveis, como a trombose venosa dural.

Dieta cetogênica para epilepsia intratável em crianças e adolescentes: relato de seis casos / Ketogenic diet for intractable epilepsy in children and adolescents: report of six cases

OBJETIVO: Descrever a introdução e o manejo da dieta cetogênica em um grupo de seis crianças e adolescentes com epilepsia refratária. MÉTODOS: Os autores reviram o prontuário médico de cada paciente menor de 15 anos submetido à dieta cetogênica entre abril de 1999 e julho de 2003 e compararam os resultados terapêuticos e efeitos adversos e benéficos com a literatura pertinente. RESULTADOS: A dieta cetogênica foi introduzida para seis pacientes, com idade mediana de sete anos (faixa: 1,8-12,2). A duração média da aplicação da dieta foi 9,7 meses (faixa: 7 dias-4 anos). Observou-se uma redução igual ou maior que 50 por cento da freqüência das crises epilépticas em metade dos casos. As complicações observadas foram leucopenia, constipação, desidratação, priapismo e recorrência das crises epilépticas. CONCLUSÕES: A dieta cetogênica foi eficaz e segura em três pacientes de uma série de seis casos com epilepsia intratável. A complicação mais comum foi leucopenia.

[Ketogenic diet for intractable epilepsy in children and adolescents: report of six cases]. / Dieta cetogênica para epilepsia intratável em crianças e adolescentes: relato de seis casos.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to report on use of the ketogenic diet in a group of six children and adolescents with intractable epilepsy. METHODS: Authors reviewed the medical records of every patient under 15 years of age who received the ketogenic diet between April 1999 and July 2003. A comparison is made between treatment results, adverse events and beneficial effects with the pertinent medical literature. RESULTS: The ketogenic diet was administered to six patients, whose median age was 7.0 years (range, 1.8-12.2). Average duration of diet application was of 9.7 months (range, 7 days-4 years). A reduction equal to or greater than 50% in seizure frequency was observed in half of the cases. Complications included neutropenia, constipation, dehydration, priapism, and seizure recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: The ketogenic diet was effective and safe in three out of six patients with intractable epilepsy. Neutropenia was the most common complication.

Sífilis adquirida na infåncia: estudo clínico, laboratorial e abuso sexual / Acquired syphilis in childhood: clinical study, diagnosis laboratory and sexually abuse

Apesar do arsenal terapêutico e dosrecursos diagnósticos, é inegável o aumento da incidência das DST, aí incluída a sífilis, também entre crianças. Este trabalho determina a ocorrência da sífilis adquirida entre as crianças atendidas no Setor de DST/UFF entre 1987 e 1996; descreve os achados clínicos e laboratoriais destas crianças, investiga a ocorrência de abuso sexual e procura divulgar a importåncia do reconhecimento precoce e tratamento desta patologia. Para atingir os objetivos, é feita a revisäo dos arquivos do DST/UFF, com descriçäo dos pacientes atendidos com esta patologia. Foi feita revisäo bibliográfica de 25 anos do Index Medicus, bem como através de bancos de dados da Internet. Somente 3 pacientes foram atendidos neste período, tendo como sintomas mais frequêntes o condiloma plano, seguindo-se as adenomegalias inguinais. A literatura relatou ainda o registro de cancro e os pacientes assintomáticos como frequentes. A sorologia positiva para sífilis e a suposiçäo de abuso sexual foram observados na totalidade dos pacientes